Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Some of the coolest, most complex work we've ever heard from
Fink – a set that takes the trio way past their usual Ninja Tune territory –
thanks to the addition of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra! The core trio
serve up spare instrumentation that's dramatically augmented by the RCO – not
in ways that are the usual orchestral style, but sort of shaded in with fuller
colors and tones – creating a moody feel that definitely makes the record the
group's most expressive so far! The vocals are especially nice in this setting
– especially when the orchestra is offering some strikingly avant counterpoint
– and the whole thing comes packaged in an amazing book-like package, with lots
of notes and photos on the project. Titles include "Berlin Sunrise",
"The Infernal Machine", "Wheels", "This Is The
Thing", and "Sort Of Revolution". ~ Dusty Groove.

STAHL'S TRIO - JAG SKULLE BARA GA UT

Amazing vibes from Mattias Stahl and his trio – easily one
of the most inventive players on his instrument in recent years – ringing out
here with a sense of tone and timing that's simply superb! There's a modern
edge to all these tracks that takes us back to Teddy Charles' vibes experiments
of the 50s – and maybe a bit to early Walt Dickerson, too – and like the
latter, Stahl has key rhythm players that really help him shape the sounds on
the set – Joe Williamson on bass and Christopher Cantillo on drums – both of
whom add a strong pulse that lets the vibes really take off on their own.
Titles include a version of Sun Ra's "Satellites Are Spinning" – plus
the tracks "Did You Give The World Some Love Today Baby",
"Formaldehyde", "The Siamese Twin", "I Was Only Going
Out", and "The Mooche".~ Dusty Groove

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ROSCOE MITCHELL / TONY MARSH / JOHN EDWARDS - IMPROVISATIONS

Beautifully-blown work from Roscoe Mitchell – some of the
loosest sides we've heard from him in years – and some of the most striking,
too! The tracks are all long improvisations done with drummer Tony Marsh and
bassist John Edwards – but they've got a really respectful approach that has
Mitchell's reed lines very much out front in the mix – this bold sax and flute
voice that's holding incredibly strong after all these years – freed from some
of the more academic modes that have kept Roscoe a bit muted on other
recordings, with the rich, organic quality we loved so much in his earliest
years with the AACM. 2LP set spins at 45rpm, for really great fidelity – and vinyl
is nice and heavy! ~ Dusty
Groove